In different fields of application, and in particular in the microbiological field (for the flow of fluids for example), it is particularly important to be able to make connections while ensuring that the surfaces that are to be placed in register with each other to form those connections remain fully isolated from the exterior environment, in particular in order to maintain their clean or even sterile character or else to protect those surfaces from germs, dust, gas and/or liquid in the vicinity.
Male-female connection systems already exist, as described in particular by the European patent EP 1 297 861, provided in particular for the microbiological field and for which the portions of surfaces of the male and female devices to connect are protected by a peelable film. On connecting these devices, the outer faces of these protective films are placed in contact with each other such that the contaminants/dust present on those faces are trapped between those films that are pressed against each other. The films are then simultaneously peeled in order to take with them the contaminants so encapsulated and to enable the male device to be engaged in the female device in order for the portions of surface to be connected.
The invention aims to provide male and female devices of the same type but which are at the same time more sure and more practical.
To that end it provides a connection device for a male-female connection system characterized in that it comprises a male part provided with a sleeve and with a slide disposed within said sleeve, said device having a front face adapted to cooperate with a member to connect, said slide being adapted to occupy, relative to said sleeve, a starting position and a final position in which said slide is advanced in said sleeve relative to said starting position, said device also comprising a tubular film folded back on itself and pressed between the slide and the sleeve, the film having, on respective opposite sides of its fold, an inner portion in at least partially non-sliding contact with said slide and an outer portion in at least partially non-sliding contact with said sleeve whereas the inner and outer portions of the film, on movement of the slide in said sleeve from the starting position to the final position, are adapted to slide over each other by virtue of which said fold passes, on movement of said slide in said sleeve, from a position in which a portion of outer lateral surface of said slide is covered by said film to a position in which said portion of outer lateral surface is uncovered.
This device is thus provided to cooperate with a device provided with a female part in order to connect the portions of surfaces of those devices.
So long as no connection with a device provided with a complementary female part has been made, the surface portion present on the slide to be kept isolated from the exterior environment is covered by the tubular film pressed between the sleeve and the slide in order for that surface to be protected thereby.
When the connection with a device provided with a complementary female part occurs, because the film cooperates by a non-sliding contact with the sleeve and the slide, the relative movement of the slide relative to the sleeve drives the movement of the fold of the film relative to that surface portion such that the contaminants initially present on the front surface of the device are driven rearwards while being isolated from the surface portion to be connected by the film which rolls out.
The contaminants are thus encapsulated and moved away from the surface to connect, the movement of the fold relative to the slide also making it possible to uncover the portion of surface to connect to make it accessible to a similar portion of surface present on the device with a complementary female part.
Contrary to the devices of the prior art in which, after putting the male and female devices in contact, at least two operations are still necessary to place the clean surfaces in register with each other, i.e. peel the protective films and engage the male device in the female device, these two operations are carried out here in a single move by mere movement of the slide of the male device in the sleeve of that device from its starting position to its final position, such that the connection is made more practical here and without risk for example of having the operator forget to peel the protective films.
Furthermore, the tubular form of the film, leading to continuous and even compression of the film between the slide and the sleeve (without creation of any line of weakness in which air/water could penetrate), ensures perfect fluid-tightness for the zone to protect, so making it possible to perform such connections in all types of exterior environments (in a liquid milieu, for example).
This is also an advantage relative to the devices of the prior art provided with peelable films of flat form on the edge of which spaces could form locally which constitute accommodation for particles which are all potential sources of contamination, in particular when those edges pass in the neighborhood of the surface to protect when the film is peeled.